


Accidentally in Love

by jarediscronchtastic



Series: o n e s h o t s [10]
Category: Dear Evan Hansen - Pasek & Paul/Levenson
Genre: Alana and Zoe are getting married, Another fic had a similar plot and I was requested to do something similar so here we are, Divorce attorney Connor, F/F, M/M, Obscure but fun au, Pride, Requested AU, Sorta Fluffy, Wedding planner Evan, cute? I think?, jeez that's a long tag, lesbians!!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-29
Updated: 2019-06-29
Packaged: 2020-05-29 14:12:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19401961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jarediscronchtastic/pseuds/jarediscronchtastic
Summary: Connor has always been really bitter about love, and that only added up when his parents got divorced, his relationship with Miguel plummetted, and he's reminded every day at work that love rarely works out.  However, when his sister confesses that she wants to propose to her girlfriend, Alana, he must try and have faith that they will work out.  Meanwhile, he prays like hell that he most certainly will NOT fall in love.Request by avid_artist: This prompt is based off a treebros story on AO3 but they never finished it so basically Evan is a wedding planner (and a hopeless romantic) and Connor is a divorce attorney (who doesn’t believe in love because he’s never been in love)and Evan plans Zoe and Alana’s weddings





	Accidentally in Love

**Author's Note:**

  * For [avid_artist](https://archiveofourown.org/users/avid_artist/gifts).



Love, successful marriages, whatever, it’s bullshit. Seriously. It’s total crap. Don’t believe me? Okay. Well, for starters, my parents fought all the time when I was little. And a teenager. And now. Only five years ago did they finally make the wise choice to get a divorce. Since then, it’s been super weird, sure, I get texts from both ends asking about my plans for the holidays, and it typically ends up in a shitfest of arguing and/or awkward silences. However, it’s the happiest I’ve ever seen my parents. Without the other to drive them mad, they actually… aren’t too shitty. Even as a teenager, I was in a relationship with this guy, Miguel. Then there was some drama, blah, blah, whatever. I don’t really think there was any ‘love’ there, I think it was mainly a physical relationship, which, like, fine. That’s okay. Not that I wanted love anyway. Flash-forward to now, thirty-three year old me, sitting in my office as a, you guessed it, divorce attorney. My parents always wanted me to do a high-paying job, like a successful doctor, or a lawyer. Here I am, practicing law, except I’m a  _ divorce  _ attorney. With divorced parents. I guess you can say I’m not what my parents wished I was. Then again, I never could please them. At least I’ve stopped smoking. No, I haven’t. That’s a lie. I just cut it down from a pack a day to a pack a week. Fuck my lungs, am I right?

Anyway. I’m not gonna lie, I hate this job. It’s depressing as shit. What kind of person wants to deal with kids of divorced parents? In the beginning, I actually loved it, I did. And then my parents split, and then this job just felt stupid and way too ironic. At least it pays well. 

I chew on the back of a pen as I look over the files of my newest case, the Johnsons. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson apparently have been married for ten whole years, ever since Cathy Greene learned she was pregnant, due to her high school boyfriend. Her parents insisted that she married her ‘perfect’ neighbor, Pete Johnson instead. He came from a wealthy family, who appear to frequently donate to charity. Turns out Pete is actually a complete shithead who took advantage of his power as a wealthy white man and managed to get away with beating his wife and her child. Seven years ago, only in my first couple of years of working here, I would have loved a case like this, willing to stay up for hours to defend the victim and help her and her child.

But I’m not a fresh-faced young man anymore. I run a hand through my slightly greasy and tangled hair. Nope, not anymore.  _ God, I need a cigarette. How much longer till I’m free to go home?  _ I glance over at my watch. Twenty minutes. Thank fucking God.

And then my phone rings.

_ I’m too tired to deal with another client, Jesus Christ _ . 

I pick up anyway because that’s my damn job. “Singh and Simmonds Law Firm, Connor Murphy speaking,” I announce, fighting off my urge to mumble. Listen, it’s been almost eleven fucking hours of working today, I want to go home already.

“Hey, Connor.”

I sit up with a start in my seat. “Zoe? Why are you calling?”  _ We’ve gotten closer over the years, especially since our parents divorced, but she never calls me, let alone at work. _

I hear a heavy sigh. “Well, there’s something I wanted to talk to you about. It’s kind of- okay, well, it’s really important to me. Like,  _ really  _ important. But…” there’s a long pause. “But I’m kind of scared of your response.”

“You’re sorta worrying me, you know. Did you get fired or something?”

“No, no, I’m still teaching. It’s… can we meet, actually?”

“I’m off in twenty, do you want to meet me at my apartment? You still have the key, don’t you? You can let yourself in, and I’ll be there in a half hour.”

“Okay.”

Chewing my lip, I begin to doodle on a stack of Post-Its. “Are you okay? You sound really nervous. Is it the news that bad?”

She lets out a dry chuckle. “Oh, to me it’s amazing news, but to you, well, I don’t know. Just… we’ll talk about it soon, okay? Do you want me to get you dinner? I’m not letting you eat microwaved food like a college kid; you’re an adult!”

Rolling my eyes, I twirl the pen between my fingers. “You’re gonna get us some greasy takeout, aren’t you?”

“I haven’t had some decent veggie chow mein in months, and that really good place is a block from your apartment, so, yeah.”

I laugh and scoot my chair back into place. “Get me Kung Pao chicken, and you can give me the worst news in the world.”

There’s an awkward moment of silence, then a quiet “Okay.”

“Thanks, Zo. See you soon.”

“See ya.”

I end the call and groan when I see only a minute has passed.  _ Fuuuuck _ . Back to the Johnsons, I guess.

\---

As soon as I’m done, I wave goodbye to my bosses,  _ the  _ Nadia Singh, and Jacob Simmonds themselves. Okay, yeah, it’s still pretty cool getting to work with the top divorce attorneys in the state, even if that’s a really obscure title.  _ Yeah, I’m the best surgeon in the state. Oh, really? That’s so impressive, we are the best divorce attorneys in the state!  _

Once I'm out of the building, I light a cigarette, the second of my day. Listen, I’m getting better! I have thirteen left, and it’s only Wednesday. It’s nice and warm out, which I love. I take off my blazer, tucking it under my arm, as my other hand loosely hangs onto the worn leather strap of my messenger bag. The breeze ruffles my hair and teases the back of my neck.  _ I wish I didn’t have to work in some stuffy office. At least I’m not in a cubicle, those suck _ . 

Stubbing out my cigarette with my shoe in the gutter, I take out my keys and get inside the apartment building on the corner.

The elevator stinks of cleaning products, so I hold my breath until I reach the third floor. Since it’s an old building, the elevator is really slow, so this takes, like, twenty seconds.

Finally, I open the door for my apartment and see Zoe setting out plates, glasses, and napkins on the coffee table.

“Hey,” I call as the door closes behind me. 

She jumps, then laughs. “Shit, you scared me. I come bearing delicious gifts!”

“I’m so fucking hungry,” I sigh, kicking off my shoes and setting my bag down. 

Zoe smiles and jerks her head to the table. “Come on, then, let’s eat.”

I settle onto the couch, and she pulls up an armchair, then opens up the food containers.

I ignore the plate and grab the carton with my meal and a pair of chopsticks. Not caring about ‘manners’ (it’s my  _ sister _ , who cares?), I shove a ridiculous amount of food into my mouth, then get up. “You want something to drink?” I ask. Well, my mouth is full, so it comes out more like ‘Ou ant omfing oo ink?”

“Whatever you’re having, I’m fine with anything.”

So, I pluck two cans of cheap beer and toss one at her. She catches it and opens it, taking a long gulp.

“So, what did you want to talk about?” I sit back down, digging back into my food.

However, she shakes her head. “Not now. After we eat. Hungry Connor is scary.”

I grunt, then take a sip of beer.

\---

Once the food is polished off, and our beers are done, I lean back. “Okay, spill. You’re freaking me out.”

Zoe’s lighthearted face droops, and she shrugs. “How about…” she trails off, then her eyes light up when she spots something. “Fortune cookies! Fortune cookies,  _ then  _ we talk.”

I sigh. “It’s not gonna make it any easier if you put it off.” Nonetheless, I hold my hand out for a cookie.

I tear the plastic wrapping, then crack open the cookie down the middle, pulling out the slip of paper. “Love is about understanding,” I read out loud, furrowing my eyebrows. “What the fuck kind of fortune is  _ this _ ?” I place it aside and break off a piece of the cookie to eat.

She just shrugs, then scans her paper. “Check mine out, ‘Plan for the best, prepare for the worst.’ That’s ominous.”

“Depends on which part you focus on. Maybe something really good is coming,” I suggest, gesturing with the rest of my cookie.

“Or, I’ve been hoping for the best, but it’s all going to come crashing down. That’s frighteningly fitting for my situation,” she mutters sadly.

I finish off the cookie, then lean forward. “Alright. Enough of the ‘beating around the bush,’ time to tell me what’s going on with you.”

Zoe squirms and looks away from me. “Well… uh… You remember my girlfriend, Alana?”

That makes me smile. “Yeah, of course! She’s sweet. Wait, don’t tell me you’re breaking up!”

She gulps. “No. We, we aren’t. I... Her face twists like she’s about to rip off a Band-Aid. “I’m planning on proposing.”

_ Oh _ . That news hits me like a ton of bricks.

I must have been silent for quite some time because Zoe starts to look really scared. “Connor?”

I snap back to reality. “I want to be happy for you, I do, but… well, it’s just kind of scary because of Cynthia and Larry…”

She frowns. “It won’t be like that. Alana and I have been dating for forever now, ever since she was a  _ senior _ . Sure, we’ve had petty arguments here and there, but we’ve never really had a fight, and I’ve never cheated, and she hasn’t either, and we’ve lived together for six years now, and it’s been amazing, and-”

I hold up a hand to stop her, sighing. “I know you two are perfect for each other, but…”  _ You’re not being reasonable, Connor _ .  _ This is your sister _ . I put on a smile, even if it’s not completely genuine. “No. You’re right. This is going to be great.”

Zoe sees right through me. “You… you don’t think it’s a good idea.”

I feel like such a jerk. “Everything in me says it’s a great one, you two have been so happy, and she’s amazing, and you’re amazing, but working so long, just, I’m so scared you’re going to get hurt.”

She starts to look angry. “So, what, what would convince you? What would make you think that it would be alright if we got married? Do we have to be together for even longer? Sign some crazy documents to promise we will be faithful instead of trusting each other’s word?”

“Well, it’s pretty difficult when every day I have people in my office because of abuse, adultery, lies-”

“People can also live long, happy marriages! I know it’s like, what, forty, fifty percent of married couples get divorced? What about the rest of the population? Or are you just going to ignore that?”

We both stop, noticing that we are standing and screaming at the top of our lungs at each other. 

Ashamed, I walk around the table towards her. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I trust you. And her. I’m happy for you both.”

“You don’t have to lie to make me feel-”

“I’m not lying,” I say, pulling her into a hug. “You’re my sister, and it’s my job to encourage you to go do amazing things. And it’s your job to tell me when I’m being a dickwad.”

Zoe scoffs but hugs me back. “I love you. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” I pull away. “Now, aren’t you keeping Al waiting?”

She waves her hand and sits down in the armchair again. “It’s okay, she’s with her work friends for some birthday party, or whatever. She knows I’m here. I wanted to ask you first to make sure that you’re cool with it, then I’ll talk to Mom and Dad, then her parents. Oh, and her little brother.”

“And you’re certain Alana’s gonna say yes?” I tease, smirking.

“Well, if she doesn’t, then I’m gonna feel like a dumbass. But hopefully, I’ll be able to return the ring!”

“Do you have it with you?”

Zoe nods excitedly and gets up, going to the coat rack and taking her purse off of it, rifling around for a moment, then pulls out a small box. She comes back, handing me the soft velvet box.

I open it and can’t help but smile at the elegant silver band with a single, small diamond. 

“It’s simple, I know, but I think she’ll really like it!”

“It’s really nice, Zo, she’s totally gonna say yes  _ and  _ love the ring.” I close the box gently and hand it back to her.

It’s pretty sweet to see her blushing like this. “Thanks. I’m planning on doing it Friday night at that little sushi place where we had our first date. It’s not even that fancy of a place, so I’m scared it’ll be underwhelming, though.”

I shake my head. “No, I think that’s good, it has a lot of significance in your relationship, I say you do it!”

“Okay, since when did you get romantic?” she says, raising an eyebrow.

“I’m not!” I protest. “I’m just excited for you.”

“Uh-huh.” Zoe doesn’t sound convinced. “Anyway, uh, I think I’m gonna head home. Thanks for… for being cool with this.”

The tiny uncertain part of me pokes at my brain. I just nod. “Yeah. Thanks for dinner!”

Laughing, she picks up her purse, then kisses me on the cheek. “Anytime. I’ll either call you in happy or sad tears Friday night, so keep your phone at hand!”

“It’ll be okay!” I wave as she goes to the door. “Have a good night, Zo!”

“You, too!”

\-----

-One month later-

A day off, thank  _ fuck _ . Of course, Zoe took advantage of that, and asked me to come over for lunch with her apartment, and also to catch up with Alana.

What she  _ didn’t  _ tell me, however, was that this lunch was really meant to be for planning the wedding. Nothing like helping your sister and her fiancée plan their wedding as a divorce attorney! Especially one who has never fallen in love, has witnessed his parents nearly tearing out each other’s throats since childhood until they divorced, and if you add that to spending five days a week listening to people talking about why they want a divorce, which all combines into the reason why I think ‘true love’ is bullshit…, it’s not great.

I’m guzzling down a fresh mojito when the doorbell rings. 

Alana hurries to get it, her pale floral dress twirling, her bare feet pattering against the hardwood floor. 

You're here!” Alana squeals.

“Hi!” Zoe exclaims. “Come in, come in, lunch is almost ready!”

The girls retreat into the kitchen to finish prepping lunch, the person they greeted entering a couple of paces behind them.

I look up, and they catch my eye.

_ Wait _ . I nearly choke on my drink.  _ That’s Evan… Evan Hansen. From my elementary school and high school _ .  _ Oh god, someone who knew me is here _ . 

The other shitty thing is, well, he’s  _ hot _ .

He approaches me shyly after taking off his shoes and sits at the opposite end of the small couch (it’s so small, that there is only about a foot between us).

“Um, hey, I don’t think you re-remember me, I’m Evan? Evan Hansen?” He mumbles, barely meeting my gaze.

“I do,” I say simply, taking a sip to avoid speaking more.

“Oh.”

“Mm.”

I’m saved when Alana announces that lunch is ready.

  
  


Their table is a small circle, so I instinctively sit with Zoe, but, of course, she’ll want to sit with Alana, meaning Evan is on the other side of me. 

I feel too guilty about not being totally on board with this wedding that I can barely look at Alana across from me.

Well, it’s not that I don’t support the wedding exactly… I mean, I love Zoe, and Alana is very nice, but a  _ marriage _ . Just… I can’t trust that it will end up in a happily ever after.  _ No. Don’t think about this stuff today _ .

For the next twenty minutes, I focus on my plate of grilled pesto chicken sandwich and salad instead of everyone else.

After the meal, Alana and Zoe insist that Evan and I, as guests, sit and relax while they clean. 

_ Please don’t leave me alone with this sort-of stranger _ .

“Why are you here?” I ask abruptly after a couple of minutes of us just sitting there.

“Oh!” He gives me a little smile. “I-I’m actually he-helping to plan their wedding.”

_ Of course _ . “Oh.”

He seems to notice my lack of enthusiasm. “A-are you okay?” he whispers.

I shrug. 

Evan stands up, and makes a motion with his hand to get me to follow suit. “Al? Zoe? I’m gonna go discuss a, um, w-wedding thing with Con in the other room!”

The girls laugh, so Evan grabs my arm and leads me upstairs to their bedroom.

I become hyper-aware of his hand on me, but don’t say anything.

“Sh-shit! Sorry, sorry, sorry!” Evan exclaims once he stops in their room and releases my arm. “Um…”

I blink at him, hoping that my silence will unsettle him so he can leave me be. Especially since I notice my heart is racing now that we are alone together.

But it doesn’t, and he stays.

“Y-you don’t _ want _ them to g-get, get married, d-do you?” he asks tentatively, gazing up at me.

Shrug. 

He seems to take that as a no. “Why not?”

“Marriage is stupid,” I grumble, sitting on the corner of the girls’ bed. “ _ Love  _ is stupid.”

Evan’s face is neutral, then he sits beside me, putting some space between us, thank God. “Um, I d-don’t think that love is s-stupid. I think it’s quite beautiful, actually. You get to meet someone and be friends, then  _ more  _ than friends. You get to share so m-many amazing moments.”

“Until someone does something horrible to totally wreck it,” I mutter bitterly.

“A-are you, um, speaking from experience?”

I laugh dryly. “Not exactly. I, uh, I’m a divorce attorney, actually. Well, I guess my position here is a little biased, huh?”

“So is mine. I mean, I’m a _ wedding planner _ !”

“Jesus. You must be surrounded by flowers and pastel colours every day.”

He giggles, and it’s... a nice sound. Not that I care, or anything. 

“I don’t mind! I like it! I love flowers, a lot, actually. In college, I took a class on botany for a semester. S-sure,  _ wedding planning  _ of all things drew my attention, s-st-stupid, I know. Th-the wedding planning and the botany class, I mean. B-both are s-stupid. Um, anyway, I can put that to g-good use, with weddings and all that. I know the symbolic meanings of flowers, what looks good together, that sort of thing.

_ Why do I find this so ridiculously charming? _

“I think… it’s nice that you went with your passion,” I say finally. 

“What about you? I m-mean, what’s it like being a d-divorce attorney?”

I raise an eyebrow. “You really wanna know?”

He nods. I think he actually means it.

“Well, it’s pretty interesting, to say the least. I got into it once I started law school, and I really liked helping people. I still… kind of like it. But I don’t know. It’s depressing and it’s gotten a bit boring, plus, being a  _ lawyer  _ of all things screws with your head, in terms of morals and shit. Especially when my parents got a divorce, it really affected me. It’s easier being an outsider, but when you suddenly find yourself realising how similar you are to the kids of your clients… it makes things way more difficult. Not to mention, it adds to my opposition towards ‘love’,” I admit, saying ‘love’ with air quotes.  _ Did I just blurt out all that? Shit _ .

However, Evan looks understanding. “That s-sounds really h-hard, Connor, I’m so sorry.”

I turn away from him, suddenly really embarrassed. “How.. how can you have such a strong faith in love? Wait, let me guess, your parents are together, and you’re in some picture-perfect fairytale relationship.”

Evan scoffs, causing me to turn back around.

“S-seems like that w-would be my life, huh? Uh, no. My parents actually got divorced when I w-was little. I don’t remember much, actually. M-my mom got angry at my dad a lot for cheating, and he eventually left. I didn’t get that he was the bad guy at first. B-but then I grew up a bit more and r-realised his faults. I still l-love him, though. I don’t know about m-my mom, though. She still d-doesn’t like to see or hear from him.”

“And yet you still are such a romantic?”

“I mean, y-yeah. My high school boyfriend- do you remember Jared Kleinman? Yeah, h-him. Um, h-he hurt me pretty badly, but I eventually forgave him. We’re still f-friends. Part of me wishes we can try again, but I know h-he would never feel the same way. Anyway, d-despite all that, I know that this doesn’t mean that love is impossible. It’s not easy. Y-you can’t just call quits, y-you know? You have to keep trying. Keep trying, and learn to balance your life,  _ and  _ someone else’s. It’s all about understanding ea-each other.

“I still can't believe you are a firm believer in love after all of that,” I mutter. “Wait.  _ Kleinman _ ?  _ Jared Kleinman  _ used to be your  _ boyfriend _ ?!”

He nods. “Y-yeah. Well. F-for, um, for a year it seemed good, then I started to realize that he was embarrassed by me. I'm not sure if it's because I'm a boy or b-because I'm m-me. We g-got into a big fight, and I tried to work it out, b-but he said a lot of not-nice stuff, so.. here I am. And anyway, one bad experience doesn't mean the next will be bad!”

“Optimistic.”

Evan gives me a little pat on the knee. “I think, um, there's someone ou-out there for you. S-someone who will m-make you believe in love.”

I brush his hand away a little too roughly. “That's corny as fuck. Besides, there's no way. People hate being around me anyway, I get angry and lash out, so any relationship I have would be unstable. I learned that much from working as a divorce lawyer; those with anger issues rarely have a successful marriage. And that's fine, I've accepted that a long time ago.”

Evan frowns. “B-but how can you be so sure? H-have you ever even t-tried it? A… a relationship?”

“Well, kinda. It wasn’t anything serious,” I admit, feeling the burst of energy in me settle.

“You sh-should give it a shot. Maybe y-you'll fall in love.”

“That's stupid. It's not possible.”

He tilts his head. “You don’t know that, though.”

I stand up quickly. “No. No more love stuff. I don’t care. I don’t need it. I’m fine on my own. Now, excuse me, I have to deal with some people who have learned the hard way that love simply isn’t possible.” That’s a lie, but I take out my phone anyway, opening my email app, pretending to write something.

“I just don’t get it, though,” he mutters. “I, I mean, my parents also got divorced, and, um, I was in a b-bad relationship, and yet, I just.. I’ve been trying to believe that love is still possible, because it is! You can’t let bad experiences hold y-you back! But… but you just.. You just gave up.”

“Can you shut the hell up already?” I snap suddenly, feeling anxious after having spilled so much to a sort-of stranger. 

He flinches. “Connor, w-wait, I’m sorry if I-”

“No!” I bark, stuffing my phone into my pocket. “You act as if you know me, but you don’t. I don’t give a fuck about your life, and I don’t get why you give a fuck about mine!”

I leave him looking helpless, and cross the room to the small balcony through the sliding glass doors.

I close them with a huff and lean against the rail, lighting a cigarette.

_ He’s not wrong. Why am I so fucking bitter? Is it because I don’t trust myself in a relationship? Who knows. Or am I just convinced that love is always a lie because that’s the result of my job? Hell, even in the case of some of my clients, they get a divorce because they fall for someone else. Or there never was any love in the first place, it was something like with the Johnsons and- no. What the fuck? Why am I letting Evan Hansen change my mind? Because he happens to be really handsome? That’s bullshit.  _

Besides, it is my sister’s wedding. I have to put in the effort to be genuine.  _ Fuckin’ hell, Zoe.  _ I put out the cigarette in a nearby potted plant, and scoop some dirt to cover it up, then brush off my hand on my pant leg.

Opening the door again, I see Evan sitting on the bed, staring at his phone, which is open to some texting app.

I clear my throat, and he jumps, hurriedly pocketing his phone, blushing. “Oh! Y-you’re, um, you’re back.”

“Yeah. Let’s go back.”

“Okay.” He… doesn’t move.  _ What the fuck? _

_ Jesus, am I really gonna-  _ “Are you okay?” I ask, cringing at the monotony of my sentence.

“Yeah.” His voice sounds distant.

I sit down next to him on the bed. “Um. You, like, want to talk about it, or whatever?”

He regards me with wary eyes. “D-do you, um, do you actually give a shit, or a-are you just trying to make up for being an a-ass-asshole earlier?”

Scoffing, I raise an eyebrow. “You tell me.”

“I’m gonna assume the latter,” he mumbles, looking away. “R-rather not get my hopes up in thinking th-that you stopped being a total grump after one, one, one cigarette.”

“Suit yourself. So…” I nod with my chin towards his pocket. “What’s up?”

Evan frowns, biting his lip. “Th-this is only gonna prove your point,” he whispers. “That love is stupid.” He shakes his head, running a hand through his hair. “It was.. It was Jared. I was telling him about Z-Zoe and Alana, and he didn’t seem to care, even though th-they are his friends,  _ too _ . Un-unless he was faking the friendship” He draws his knees up to his chest, running his finger back and forth on the blanket. “Like he was with me. In o-our relationship.”

“Oh,” I say dumbly.  _ What the fuck else am I supposed to say? I’m sorry, even though this proves my point that not only does love suck, but I am also a cold-hearted douchebag? _

Suddenly, he gets to his feet, putting on a smile. “It’s no problem, this, today, it, it’s not about me. It’s about Zoe and Alana. R-right. It’s about my friends. It’s a-about love. Happy, happy, happy weddings.”

Without thinking, I reach forward, taking his hand, gently tugging him back down to the bed. “Don’t force yourself to go downstairs if you’re not feeling well,” I tell him, holding onto his hand for longer than I know is probably appropriate. It’s soft and warm, okay? Fuck you.

“B-but it’s my  _ job _ -”

“And they’re our friends. They understand. Or, they will. It’s fine.”

Evan looks uncomfortable, so I drop his hand. “Even if I n-never get to be in l-lo-love again, it’s okay, you know? I g-get the privilege of being a part of other people’s love lives for a little while when I help them with their big day.”

“That's lonely.”

“Y-you're one to t-talk,” he mutters. 

_ Okay, that's fair _ .

“Let's.. let's just go back d-downstairs, okay? I, uh, I feel bad. K-keeping them waiting, and all.” Evan begins to stand.

“I  _ told  _ you. If you don't feel up to it, don't push yourself,” I say, a little sharper than I intended to.

He sighs and sits back down again. “Connor, I… I c-can't be honest around them. It's too hard for me. I have to pretend. Otherwise, I'm being a shitty planner and an even shittier friend. I c-ca-can't do that, okay? I just can't! Oh, oh god, this is turning into a disaster. Oh my god, I-I'm going to ruin my b-best friends’ wedding, shit-”

“Evan!” I put my hands on his shoulders. “Relax. Breathe. Stop freaking out, okay?”

He takes a shuddering breath. “I can't do this, Connor.”

“Yes, you can. You’ve done it before.”

“B-but not with people I’m close to.”

I remember my hands are on him, and awkwardly pull them back. “Uh, shit, I’m bad at pep talks,” I confess, trying to think of a way to make him feel better. “You… do you want a cigarette? It can help calm you down. It helps me.”

Evan wrinkles his nose and shakes his head. “No, thanks. Jared some-sometimes smoked, and he offered it to me once, an-and I coughed a lot.”

“You sure?”

“Mhm.” 

“Wait, I have another idea,” I say, reaching into my pocket. “One sec.”

His hand stops mine. “C-Connor, I’m fine, you d-don’t need to, like, do anything. We’re just wasting time up here. The wedding is im-important.”

I meet his eyes, frowning. “So are you.” My face flushes and I hastily try to fix what I said. Can’t seem too clingy, after all. “I-I mean, in order for there to be a good wedding, the wedding planner has to be feeling alright, yeah?”

He squirms and shrugs. “I  _ guess  _ that’s true…”

_ Whew _ . “Good. Okay.” I unlock my phone and go to my music library, tapping shuffle. I put an earbud in, and offer the other to him.

Almost immediately, he visibly calms down. “I like this one,” he murmurs. “What is it?”

“Mm, it’s called ‘It’s Alright’ by Mother Mother. They have some weird music, but I like them.” I look over at him, with a slight smile. “My music is on shuffle, but the song turned out to be pretty relevant, hm?”

Evan looks back at me, nodding. “Yeah. Thanks. Not, um, not many people would be this patient with me if I was freaking out. I mean, like, Zoe and Alana can be, and, heh, m-my  _ mom _ , but… Jare? He used to be, but especially as we grew up, he just, um… he would get really mad. Like, he would tell me to s-stop being a crybaby, or something. Or, or, like, if we were in public? He would tell me to q-quit it because it was, like, embarrassing and…” he slows down when he realises that I am actually paying attention to him as he speaks. “And.. stuff. Sorry, sorry, I, I shouldn’t have rambled like that, god, I’m sorry. I’ll just shut up now, sorry.”

“You shouldn’t have to apologise for speaking your mind,” I say quietly. “More importantly, you shouldn’t feel obligated to, like, be sorry for being who you are.”

With a grin, he rolls onto his side to face me, and I mirror him. “I guess you’re right. Thanks.”

“Uh, yeah, you’re welcome,” I reply.  _ Jesus, up close, he’s really cute _ . Suddenly, Pentatonix’s ‘Can’t Sleep Love’ starts, and I can feel my face getting a bit warm. 

Immediately, Evan starts to laugh. “And you don’t b-believe in love!” he teases me, his eyes twinkling.

“Shut up,” I grumble, mortified. I reach to change the song, but he stops me, putting his hand on mine. 

“No, it’s.. it’s a cute song, let it play.”

“Oh. Um. Okay.” I don’t move my hand at all. I just look at his on top of mine and pray he doesn’t move it away.

I look back at him, and I genuinely want to punch myself for getting a stupid floaty feeling in my heart.  _ For the love of god, Connor, do not fall in love with your sister’s wedding planner. Better yet, don’t fucking fall in love. _

“Zoe’s really lucky that you’re her brother, you know. You’re nice. You act all tough, but you’re really soft on the inside. Like… a cream-filled chocolate truffle,” he murmurs.

I freeze for a moment, then slowly flip my hand that’s underneath his to gently clasp ours together. “You’re pretty great yourself, even if your job is the mushiest thing on the planet,” I say with a smirk, pretending that my heart isn’t racing a mile a minute.

“Shut up.”

We both begin to laugh, not bothering to separate our hands. In fact, it seems as if we are holding each other’s hands tighter than before.

_ Well, fuck.  _

\---

‘And Then She Kissed Me’ by St. Vincent blares through the speakers around the room as everyone laughs, drinks, and dances.

I watch my sister and Alana laugh and kiss, spinning each other around in the flashing lights, then Cynthia and Larry who actually appear to be having a civil conversation with each other, as well as Liz and Stephen, Alana’s parents.

I'm sitting at a table, covered in a white tablecloth, decorated with purple and white flowers, as well as abandoned plates of half-eaten food and glasses of champagne and wine. I may have finally stopped smoking, but that doesn't mean that I've stopped having a drink here and there. I'm downing my third glass of champagne of the night when I hear the scrape of a chair beside me.

“Not the d-dancing type?” 

I look up and give Evan a small smile in greeting. “Nah, I prefer to sit and drink, heh.”

Evan rolls his eyes and laughs. “Can't s-say I'm too s-surprised. Are you enjoying the party?”

I pretend to think for a moment. “Hm, I don't know, it's a little underwhelming. Besides, all the decorations are tacky.”

He looks offended for a moment, then realises I'm joking and smacks my arm. “You're an ass!”

I laugh and shake my head. “You did a really good job. Zoe is usually not the type to like decorations, and Alana’s a stickler for detail, so it's hard to please both of ‘em, and yet you did! You have some weird superpower, I swear.”

Evan blushes and plucks a flower from the centerpiece, twirling the stem between his fingers. “I think I j-just, um, know them pretty well.”

I sip my champagne, grinning at him. “Quite the modest man. It's cute.”

“Uh-um, h-how do you feel about the w-wedding? I mean… you.. you never really wanted it, but, um, here we are, so…”

“I guess I just need to believe that it can work out, you know? Seeing them together, I guess I kind of am getting convinced, just a little, that… maybe it's possible, maybe..  _ love  _ is possible.” I bite my lip, then chuckle at myself. “God, that was so stupid. I can't believe I just said that, holy fuck.”

“That's really great!” Evan exclaims excitedly. “I'm h-happy that you're… opening yourself up.”

As he says that, some ballad begins to play. 

I don't know if it's the alcohol, the setting, or  _ whatever _ , but I find myself suddenly putting down my drink, and standing up, pulling Evan’s sleeve with me.

He looks surprised, but goes along with it, and allows me to lead him to the dance floor.

“You know,” I say slowly. “I've never actually danced with anyone before. Do you.. maybe… want to?”

I swear I've never seen someone smile as big as he is right now. Evan reaches forward and tucks the flower he was holding into my breast pocket, nestled in front of my little pocket square, and puts his hands on my hips.

I hesitantly put my arms around his neck, looking back at him. “Um, now what? I, well, you know, since I've never danced, I… I don't know  _ how _ .”

Evan laughs and sighs. “God, you're hopeless. Well,  _ I  _ like to dance in a certain way.”

“Uh-huh?”

He moves closer, so our bodies are less, like, a whole foot apart. “F-first, we actually move closer, because then it looks like you're at your first prom. Then, you start to sway a little bit. B-but then, the thing that makes it special? The thing I like to do?”

“Yeah?” I try to move my body in rhythm with his.  _ Sway back and forth, you got this, Connor _ .

“You close y-your eyes.”

“Um, okay…?”

_ Now what? _

“A-and then…”

He kisses me.  _ He actually kisses me _ .  _ Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god.  _

I feel him start to pull away, but I move my hands so they are in his hair, and I pull him closer again, shifting my head so that I can kiss him even harder.

Evan lets out a small breath as our lips part, and he looks up at me shyly. “I’m.. I’m sorry, that was really cheesy, huh?”

I smile at him and stroke his hair gently. “No, I think.. I think I like your method of dancing.”

He giggles and kisses me quick on the cheek. “G-good.”

I feel so airy and free and.. and happy. And something else. I pull him in for a tight hug. “Evan, I..” I stop, feeling silly all of a sudden.

“Yeah?”

“I…” I clutch the back of his suit tightly. “I think I’m in love you.”

~ _ fin. _

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you liked this one and happy pride month! I took some time writing this one, so sorry it is really late... I'll admit, I was a bit stuck, but once I figured out how I wanted the story to go, it just kinda happened. (I also do know that I have way too many fics where there's a wedding and it ends in a kiss, but whatever. It's cute.)  
> Anyway, here are some of the songs from Alana and Zoe's playlist of their wedding in no particular order (including songs I listened to while writing to get in the mood):
> 
> Geronimo- Sheppard  
> My Endless Love- Diana Ross and Lionel Richie  
> And Then She Kissed Me- St. Vincent (Cover of Then He Kissed Me by The Crystals)  
> Accidentally In Love- Counting Crows (yes, I named the fic after it.)  
> Everything Has Changed- Taylor Swift ft. Ed Sheeran  
> At Last- Etta James  
> Ain't No Mountain High Enough- Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell  
> I Saw Her Standing There- The Beatles  
> Mad About The Girl- Valerie June (Cover of Mad About The Boy by Dinah Washington)  
> I Wanna Dance with Somebody- Whitney Houston
> 
> Oh, and sorry that Jared Kleinman is Evan's crappy ex. I just thought it would fit, I didn't want to make him a bad guy, though. :/
> 
> Well, thanks for reading anyway!
> 
> -Jared


End file.
